Thunderbird 50k "Fun Run"

A few months ago, while I was running with a friend at Thunderbird Park, we were talking about race locations in and around the valley. I thought it would be fun to hold a race at Thunderbird, since that is my "home turf" and it would be a great way to showcase some of the trails at the park. That thought is what sparked the first Thunderbird 50k.

The inaugural Thunderbird 50k will be held January 12th at 6:00 AM. This event is not a sanctioned race. You can run it as fast or as slow as you want. There will be no awards, no time tracking, aid stations, etc. In running circles, this is referred to as a "Fat Ass" event, but I prefer the term Self-Supported event.

Parking: Recommended parking is at Parking Lot B (see map). However, there are many other parking areas throughout the park. Lot B is where each segment begins and ends, so it would be a great place to leave anything you need for support throughout the race.

Aid Stations: As mentioned before, this is a self supported run. You should bring anything and everything you need to be out on the trails for as long as you think it will take you to complete the course. There are restroom facilities at the park, near Lot B as well as a couple of others. Water is available on a limited basis at a couple of locations in the park, but it is highly recommended that you bring your own. At the Start/Finish area in Lot B, I will try to make a van available for you to leave your things in case you can't get a vehicle into Lot B -- I don't anticipate this to be a problem.

Directions to the park: The park entrance is located 1.5 miles north of the loop 101 on 59th Avenue. Make a left into the park, go through the gates and make a right. Follow the road and take your next right. This will lead you to Parking Lot B.

Course directions/maps/etc.: Participants are responsible for navigating the course on their own. Directions will be provided, but there will not be any course markings. You can't get lost at Thunderbird, go ahead and try - I dare you. That being said, you are strongly encouraged to familiarize yourself with the trails. The course was plotted on Google Earth and exported to RunKeeper and Garmin Connect. The Google Earth map is the most accurate, but you can't get lost if you use RunKeeper or a Garmin device.

• Google Earth (KMZ): https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0Bx0WingjvvjgZmhweWw3d1BnUE0/edit
• Garmin Connect: http://connect.garmin.com/course/2590435
• RunKeeper: http://runkeeper.com/user/marcules/route/1759539
• Thunderbird Park Map: http://www.glendaleaz.com/ParksandRecreation/documents/T-birdParkMap.pdf

Segment	Directions
1	51 Ave O/B (5.29 miles) Leave Start on H3 Turn right at the junction. Take the next left onto H1, putting you parallel to 59th ave (on your right). Take your next right and cross the bridge. The trail will fork after the bridge, stay right and follow this trail. Keep right and the trail will take you on the south side of the hill. Stay on this trail until you come to a street with a residential access gate. Cross the street and continue on H1 until you get to 51st ave. Turn around and run back along the same trail back to the ramada area. Make a left and cross the bridge. Make a left and follow H1 with 59th ave. on your left. Make your next right onto H3. Make your next left and follow the trail back to Aid.
2	East hill to North hill - Counterclockwise (7.05 miles) Leave Aid on H3 Turn right at the junction. Take the next left onto H1, putting you parallel to 59th ave (on your right). Take your next right and cross the bridge. Run straight past the fork (on the right) you took earlier. Make a right, taking you past the ramada. Stay left and start the climb up the hill on H2. Follow the climb to the second summit where you will find a pile of rock. Make a left (enjoy the view first) and follow the trail to the bottom of the hill. At the first junction you come to, make a right taking you to the base of the hill. At the base, make a right onto H1A Follow the H1A loop along the base of the hill, toward the golf course and past the north lot on Pinnacle Peak. Make a left at the park information sign, taking you back to the hill. Begin the climb, making a right at the first junction, and head back to the 59th ave. bridge. Cross the bridge and make a right onto H1; 59th ave. will be on your right. Follow H1 to the bottom of the hill and make your first left onto H3. Follow H3 to the top of the northern hill and back down around the southern side of the hill. At the junction, make a right turn back to Aid.
3	South hill - Counterclockwise (3.2 miles): Leave Aid northwest past the tables Take a left through the wash. Go straight, past the junction and follow the trail across the road. Continue past the ramada buildings, keeping them on your right. After the buildings, take a right at the junction. Take your next left and stay left, past two offshoot trails, taking you west along H5. Continue on H5 past the ramada making a slight right. With the water tank on your right, continue up the trail. Take a right at the junction and continue up the hill. Take a left at the next junction and continue up the hill. Take a right at the next junction and continue up the hill. Follow the loop to the top of the hill and continue straight past the junction. At the next junction, take a left putting the water tank on your right again. Follow the trail along the ridge and down the south side of the hill. At the junction, make a right. Make a left at the next junction and follow the trail toward 67th ave and then north, parallel to 67th ave staying on the main trail all the way to the parking area. At the park information sign, make a right up a small hill. Take your first left to the bottom of the hill and across the paved road. Follow this trail along the fence line, staying left, and back to Aid.
4	East hill - Clockwise (3.15 miles): Leave Aid on H3 Turn right at the junction. Take the next left onto H1, putting you parallel to 59th ave (on your right). Take your next right and cross the bridge. Take a left at the junction and follow the trail along the base of the hill. Stay right at the next junction and follow the trail to the top.At the top, by the pile of rock, stay left and follow the trail back down to the ramada area. Make a left and cross the bridge. Make a left and follow H1 with 59th ave. on your left. Make your next right onto H3. Make your next left and follow the trail back to Aid.
5	51 Ave O/B #2 (5.29 miles): Leave Aid on H3 Turn right at the junction. Take the next left onto H1, putting you parallel to 59th ave (on your right). Take your next right and cross the bridge. The trail will fork after the bridge, stay right and follow this trail. Keep right and the trail will take you on the south side of the hill. Stay on this trail until you come to a street with a residential access gate. Cross the street and continue on H1 until you get to 51st ave. Turn around and run back along the same trail back to the ramada area. Make a left and cross the bridge. Make a left and follow H1 with 59th ave. on your left. Make your next right onto H3. Make your next left and follow the trail back to Aid.
6	North hill clockwise (3.80 miles): Leave Aid on H3 Turn left at the junction. Follow the trail to the top and back down. Stay right at the bottom and continue south along H1 with 59th ave on your left. Stay on H1, past the bridge. Make your next right onto H3. Make your next left and follow the trail back to Aid.
7	South hill clockwise (3.22 miles): Leave Aid on H3 Turn right at the junction. Turn right at the next junction onto H1. Follow H1 across the road, staying left on the rock lined trail. Run through the ramada area, past the parking area and across the road. Bear left and follow the trail up the south side of the hill for approx. 0.7 miles. Turn right at the junction and climb up to the ridge. Turn right at the next junction and continue climbing. Stay left at the next junction and follow the loop around to the top of the hill and back down. Take a left at the next junction, completing the small loop. Take a right at the next junction Take a right at the next junction and continue east along the north side of the hill. At the top of the amphitheatre, take a right and follow the trail back to the road. Cross the road and run east, passing the bathroom facilities on your left and follow the rock lined path back to the road. Cross the road and continue along H1. Make a right at the junction onto H3. Make your next left and follow the trail back to Finish.